According to a recent release by Gartner, over the next two to three years, CIOs will be tasked to help business leaders identify, develop, and instill the new strategic business capabilities (SBCs) that will help restore their businesses to full health in the post-recession world. Those who don’t may find themselves sidelined.

Gartner asserts that great companies compete by advancing SBCs. These are not “just” technologies. They involve process changes, mind-set shifts, new job roles, and organization changes. So establishing ongoing education and training as a high cultural value will support the advancement of SBCs by preparing employees for the change these new capabilities demand, implicitly and explicitly.

Part of the role training and education play has to do with their ability to establish belief in a system among its users. A study at the University of North Carolina’s Bryan School of Business and Economics demonstrates that training influences the shared beliefs that users form about the technology, and that the shared beliefs influence the perceived usefulness and ease of use of new systems. This study provides both empirical and theoretical support for the use of managerial intervention such as training and education, since perceived usefulness and ease-of-use contribute to the behavioral intention to use the technology.

SBCs are designed to improve the efficiency of business processes and operations. However, for the initiatives to deliver on their value, end users must develop the skills and knowledge on how to function effectively and efficiently in the wake of the change wrought by a particular SBC. End-user adoption is critical to a successful strategic implementation and its ongoing use—and this is only possible with effective education and training.

Epicor’s extensive library of training courses, educational materials, and user resources provide customers with an excellent platform to develop an effective training program. The array of resources enable customers to choose the best options to meet their needs and tailor programs to their individual user preferences.